Pirate's Promise
by JediGurrl
Summary: Short bit of fluff. Will and Elizabeth get hitched, then *gasp* Kidnapped! If you read, please review


Pirate's Promise  
  
It had been a year since Jack Sparrow and the crew of the Black Pearl had been given their day's head start, which had become a week's, then a month's, and at that point rumors became stories and Jack and his crew were the stuff of legend once more.  
  
The wedding of Will Turner, pirate, and Elizabeth Swann, governor's daughter, was a grand affair and went off without a hitch. The entire town of Port Royal was in attendance, including Elizabeth's former suitor, the Commodore Norrington, who wished the newlyweds the happiest of futures. Why they had waited a year to get married was common knowledge in the governor's household, Will Turner refused to marry Miss Elizabeth until she'd learned swordplay, and for the past year, he had been a more than willing tutor. He even made matching blades for them to wear during the ceremony.  
  
The reception had been going on long enough that there were drinks all around, the Commodore had just made a rousing toast to the couple when there was a resounding knock at the doors of the hall. The revelers and well-wishers fell silent as the porters hurried to open the doors.  
  
Framed in the entryway was a man, wide-brimmed hat pulled down low, hiding most of his face in its shadow. He glanced at both of the porters in turn before walking towards the head table. Elizabeth's brow furrowed slightly, there was something familiar about the man's gait, like some sort of oddly feminine drunken swagger.  
  
The crowd had fallen silent in tense anticipation, so that when the man spoke, his voice rang clearly through the hall, "I hear," He said calmly, "That there's a wedding today." Governor Swann nodded, smiling a thin, close lipped, polite smile, "I'm afraid, you've missed it. It's been done for the better part of an hour." The man chuckled, "Good, wouldn't have wanted to interrupt that." Will arched a brow slightly, he swore he'd caught a glint of gold in the smile under the shadow of the hat brim.  
  
The man swept the hat from his head, dipping into a low, courtly bow, his face still hidden. It was apparently a signal of some sort, for the newlyweds found themselves seized. Elizabeth tried not to smile as John Cotton winked at her over her husband's shoulder.  
  
After that, a few things happened in quick succession, the Port Royal guard drew their weapons as the newlyweds were hustled from their seats to be held captive behind the man, who finally stood, revealing himself to be none other than the infamous Jack Sparrow, "Ah ah ah," He chided the guard with an upraised hand, "One step further and the turtledoves die."  
  
Elizabeth gasped as a butter knife was held to her throat, trying not to laugh outright at the shock that was rippling through the crowd, "You'll never get away with this Sparrow." She tried her hardest to sound righteously indignant and just a little scared, instead of on the verge of laughing aloud, which was more the case. She hoped the crowd took her occasional shudder to be terror, as opposed to barely contained mirth.  
  
Jack chuckled, "Ahh but I will chickadee. Don't fret though, I do intend to return yourself and your blacksmith of a husband within a year's time, unharmed." He smiled, "That is, provided the respectable," Here he gave a slight bow, "Commodore Norrington lets us leave in the same condition, without having us followed."  
  
Norrington looked as if he were about to argue, or at least to give the order to clap Jack in irons when Will pleaded, his voice cracking, "Please Norrington, for Elizabeth's sake, do as he asks, call off the guard." Elizabeth did laugh at that, though she managed to disguise it as a frightened yelp as the knife was pressed more closely to her throat.  
  
Jack smiled, tilting his head, "Your move Commodore, savvy? Let them leave or let them die. It's up to you." The Commodore finally nodded, "Let them go. I warn you Sparrow, if either of them comes to harm, your own life will be forfeit." Norrington was awarded another slight bow and a smile full of charm. Also, no one pointed out how absurd the demand really was.  
  
Once outside, Elizabeth shivered slightly, the unnatural fog that always seemed to follow the Pearl was already beginning to blanket the town. Will smiled slightly, one arm curling around his new wife's waist, "Why did you come back for us Cap'n Sparrow?" His tone was almost mocking, only slightly surprised at how easy it was to fall back into their usual banter, "I'd have thought the likelihood of being arrested would've kept you away for another year at least."  
  
Jack merely laughed, clapping the younger man on the shoulder, "I happen to give our dear Commodore more credit than that. I think he knows good ole Cap'n Sparrow and the crew of the Pearl are the only real Pirates left. He gets us, there's none left worth chasin'. And why did I come back?" He sighed, looping his arm around Will's shoulders, "Honestly it's because I missed you terribly whelp. And you of course Elizabeth darling." Elizabeth laughed, shaking her head, "No need to lie to spare my feelings Jack, I know you've been smitten with dear sweet Will since you first laid eyes on him."  
  
Jack smiled at that, circling the couple to drape his arm around Elizabeth's shoulders as casually as it had been draped around Will's a moment before, "Aye, that I have been lass, but even back then I knew you had better claim to dear William than I could ever hope for." He smiled again, un-tensing like a watch spring, without seeming to actually relax, as the familiar black sails became visible through the fog, "Ahh, home sweet home. Up you go then Elizabeth darling, and you whelp."  
  
Will smiled, helping Elizabeth up the gangplank, only releasing her when Anamaria took her arm, leading her away and saying, "Come on Lady, we'd best get you out of that dress and into something more seaworthy." Gibbs eyed the retreating pair warily, "Cap'n." Jack sighed, clapping the older man's back, "I know Gibbs," he mimicked the other pirate's voice surprisingly well, "'s bad luck to have a woman aboard, let alone two of 'em' Anamaria's proven to be better luck than worse, and the young missus Turner will prove much the same I assure you."  
  
Will chuckled as he followed Jack to the helm where Cotton's parrot was perched, singing merrily, "Sailing sailing, over the bounding main!" Jack smiled at the bird, shaking his head as he unlashed the wheel, "Yes Parrot, we'll be on our way soon enough." Will leaned against the railing, watching the crew as they went about their various tasks, "Why did you really come back to Port Royal for us Jack?"  
  
The pirate studied the blacksmith for a long moment, then nodded, looking off to the horizon, "Because of a promise made years back. And a Pirate's Promise is a thing to be reckoned with." Will arched a brow slightly, "And what was this promise?"  
  
Jack's smile returned as he guided the Pearl out to open sea again, "That if I happened to find you, I'd not let you throw your life away. Live it doing something you hated." He shrugged then, "I believe your father was talking about not letting you become a pirate, but seeing as how things turned out, we'll make a pirate of you yet lad." He chuckled, nodding to where Elizabeth and Anamaria were returning, Elizabeth wearing a set of the other woman's extra clothes, "Looks like your lady fair has already made a good start of it."  
  
Will smiled, curling an arm around his wife's waist once more, his own eyes drifting to the horizon, the year ahead was going to be very interesting indeed, and he looked forward to every minute of it. 


End file.
